Goa appoints 32-year-old farmer as agriculture brand ambassador to inspire youth

Panaji: Goa has named 32-year-old farmer Varad Samant as its agriculture brand ambassador, tapping his journey from a reluctant cultivator to a high-volume vegetable producer, to persuade young Goans that farming can be profitable and sustainable.

Samant’s journey reflects the potential of agriculture when backed by innovation, mechanisation and government support, said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

“For three consecutive years, we have paid him Rs 65 lakh, Rs 60 lakh and Rs 58 lakh. This was not because he brought vegetables from outside, but because he cultivated his own produce in Goa,” the chief minister said, referring to the crops procured by the horticulture department from Samant.

Samant’s journey into farming was far from planned. After completing his B.Com in 2012, agriculture was not on his career radar, despite his father being a farmer. Between 2010 and 2014, his family was engaged in sugarcane farming, but it was only later that Samant began exploring the possibilities of vegetable cultivation.

He travelled to Karnataka and Maharashtra, studied best practices and returned to Goa to experiment. He began modestly, cultivating ‘bhindi’ (lady’s finger) on about 2,000 square metres. The crop proved successful, encouraging him to expand into growing cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, and other vegetables.

“That was when I realised that vegetable farming is very much possible in Goa,” said Samant, a resident of Dharbandora.

Today, he grows vegetables on around 10 acres of land, combining traditional knowledge with mechanised and efficient farming methods. At present, he has planted cabbage, a 70-day cycle crop, carrots, which mature in 20 days, and watermelons that are ready in about 60 days.

Samant said watermelon farming alone can be lucrative. “If watermelon sells at Rs 30 per kg, a farmer can earn around Rs 6 lakh from 20 tonnes in just 60 days,” he said.

Samant supplies 70-80 tonnes of cabbage annually to the state horticulture department, along with 4-5 tonnes of carrots, sometimes up to 10 tonnes, besides bhindi and other vegetables. The Goa State Horticulture Corporation supplies fresh vegetables and fruits to the public through its vendors.

The younger agriculturist said he receives between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 60 lakh annually, adding that after labour and other expenses, farmers can earn a profit margin of around 25–30 per cent.

The chief minister, however, said Samant told him his net profit was even higher. “I asked him about his profit after expenses, and he said it was Rs 30 lakh net simply by cultivating vegetables,” Sawant said.

He employs 20 to 22 workers and farms on not more than 60,000 square metres, the CM added.

About being appointed Goa’s brand ambassador to promote agriculture, Samant said he had never imagined the honour. “When I started farming, I was not aware of any such role. The chief minister recently contacted me and asked me to take up this responsibility of creating awareness about vegetable farming in Goa,” he said.

Officials said Sawant recently visited Samant’s fields and was impressed by the crop management and farming practices.

Agriculture Director Sandeep Phaldesai said the appointment fits into the government’s broader vision of making Goa ‘Swayampurna’ (self-reliant) in vegetable cultivation.

“The Goa government is implementing the Promotion of Vegetables with Assured Market scheme through the Agriculture Department and the Goa State Horticulture Corporation. Under this scheme, we have set an ambitious target of becoming self-sufficient in vegetable production,” he said.

Calling Samant a role model for young farmers, he said, “When the chief minister visited his plot, he felt this farmer should promote vegetable cultivation among others. Accordingly, he has been appointed the brand ambassador to conduct sessions, demonstrations and lectures across all talukas of Goa.”

Samant credited government schemes for much of his success, especially the assured price mechanism through the horticulture department. “For bhindi, farmers get Rs 50 per kg throughout the year. Such assured pricing is not available in any other state,” he claimed.

He said many youths from his Dharbandora village have already shown interest in farming and frequently visit his fields. He cited Mahesh Goankar and members of the Verdikar family as examples of young people inspired by his work.

Samant said there is a widespread belief that farming is not possible in Goa, but that perception needs to change. “With dedication and government support, farmers can grow crops successfully and earn a good income. Anyone with land and water can take up farming and become self-reliant,” he said.

The young farmer also appealed to people to protect agricultural fields, warning that loss of farmland would undermine food security. Agriculture would offer even more opportunities after 2030 with the adoption of mechanised and automated farming techniques, he said.

With Samant as its face, officials said, the Goa government is attempting to convey that farming can be modern, profitable and aspirational, especially for the state’s youth.